TIMSON Immigration
1. The legal basis
The legal basis on citizenship is contained in Part II of Section 3(5) of the 1984 Citizenship Act, which allows the government to operate the Citizenship-By-Investment program and to grant citizenship to anyone who fulfills the requirements as resolved by the cabinet.
The applicant may apply together with the following dependents:
- Spouse;
- Children aged under 18 and unmarried children aged 18 - 30 who are receiving education from a college and fully supported by the main applicant.
- Parents and grandparents aged 55 and over of the applicant and his/her spouse.
2. Requirements
To qualify for the Citizenship by Investment Program, the applicant shall:
- be at least 18 years old;
- have no criminal records;
- pass the due diligence check conducted by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis;
- be healthy; and
- complete the required investment.
3. Investment options
Investors can choose one of the following investment options:
(1) Real Estate Option
Applicants may qualify for citizenship through an investment in a pre-approved real estate project. The minimum real estate investment required by law is US$400,000 for each applicant, and should be held for at least 5 years.
On approval in principle of an application made through a real estate investment, a Government fee applies, as follows:
- Applicant: US$50,000
- Spouse: US$25,000
- Dependent child aged 18-30: US$50,000
- Dependent parent aged 55 and above: US$50,000
In addition, certain taxes and other costs shall be payable upon the applicant’s investment in a real estate project.
(2) Donation to the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF)
Applicants may qualify for citizenship through donation to the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation:
- Single applicant: US$250,000
- Family application:
- Applicant with up to three dependents: US$300,000
- Applicant with up to five dependents:US$350,000
- Applicant with up to seven dependents:US$450,000
- Additional dependent above seven dependents: US$25,000.00
4. Government fee
In addition to the government fees payable in the real estate option, the following fees are payable to the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis for each application under the Citizenship by Investment Program (All Options):
(1) Government Fees for parent dependant and child dependent aged 18 and over: USD 50,000 each
(2) Due Diligence Fee:
- Applicant: USD7,500
- Spouse: USD4,000
- Children aged 16 years and above: USD4,000 each
- Parents and Grandparents over the age of 55: USD4,000 each
(3) Application form fee: USD 250 each
(4) Fee for Certificate of Registration: USD 47 each
(5) Passport issue fee: USD 350 each
5. Procedures and schedules
The documents and information requirements of the Citizenship by Investment Program of St. Kitts and Nevis are quite reasonable and application procedures are very straight forward, no interview is required. Applications through the SIDF donation route can be approved in 3 to 6 months. However, applications through the real estate route can take 4 to 8 months before approval is obtained because the real estate route involves purchasing properties, which requires more paperwork. In addition, most investors would usually visit the country first before deciding to purchase real estates, and thus more the processing time is required.
6. Advantages of St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship
a. Short processing time: passports can be issued 3-6 months after submission the application;
b. Low entry requirements: no language, education, funding and business experiences are required;
c. One application for migration of up to four generations: the applicant together with his/her spouse, their children and parents and grandparents can obtain citizenship and passports of St. Kitts and Nevis through one application;
d. No landing or residency requirements: the applicant and his/her dependents are not required to land or reside in St. Kitts and Nevis for obtaining the citizenship and passports of St. Kitts and Nevis;
e. Visa free/ Visa on arrival in more than 150 countries and regions, including all EU Schengen Area countries including Switzerland, UK and Ireland.
f. Low tax regimes: there is no exchange controls, personal income tax, corporate income tax, value added tax or inheritance tax in St. Kitts and Nevis. Citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis are not required to pay tax on their income, interest, gifts, assets and inheritances obtained overseas;
g. Multiple citizenships allowed: dual and multiple citizenships are legally recognized in St. Kitts and Nevis.
h. As a Commonwealth citizen, the applicant can enjoy the special beneficial treatment in the UK. For example, the applicant’s children can attend the Youth Exchange program designed by the UK for Commonwealth citizens.
7. Our fee charges
Our fee charges will depend on the situation of the applicant, and the number of dependents involved.
Note: This document is for reference only, all terms are subject to written contract.